Building an Affordable House

While building trends may change, one thing does not: the need to build quality homes at affordable prices. In today's building market, sustainability is an important part of building homes that last so homeowners can keep long-term costs down. Building an Affordable House, 2nd edition helps readers do that with insight from the people who work in the field every day.

Building expert Fernando Pagés-Ruiz knows that from a homebuilder's perspective, competitive, affordable housing represents a basic business plan that blends curb appeal, useful floor space, and a low price tag to guarantee quick sales. It is a blueprint that takes the speculation out of spec building and provides the builder with an elusive commodity in the construction industry: peace of mind. Plus, keeping sustainability at the forefront of building decisions isn't simply good for the environment—it's good for the homeowner's bottom line.

Building an Affordable House, 2nd edition provides an updated sensibility to the building decisions every homeowner must make in today's challenging construction environment, whether they are building a brand-new house or renovating one they love. This update, long overdue after 17 years, includes:

• All new code information
• Techniques that honour sustainable building practices
• Cost-saving methods that are safe and effective

This book reveals the secrets of building better for less and developing your own cost-cutting approach that balances marketability, quality, and price.

AUTHOR: Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Fernando Pagés Ruiz immigrated to the United States in 1970 and became a US citizen in 1984. Over a 30-year career in construction, he has become a dedicated proponent of building innovation in low-cost housing. Pagés Ruiz speaks, writes, and consults internationally on how to build high-quality, affordable, and energy-efficient homes.

A builder with 30 years of experience and an expert on how to cut costs and maintain quality when building or remodelling, Pagés is the author of two books published by the Taunton Press: Building an Affordable House: A high-value, low-cost approach to building (2005) and Affordable Remodel: How to get custom results on any budget (2007). As a builder, his projects have received numerous awards, including the 2008 "Green Building Single Family House of the Year" and the 2007 "Workforce Housing Award" from the National Association of Home Builders. In 2006, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's PATH project chose him to build America's first PATH Concept Home, a home that is affordable to purchase and maintain, while meeting the criteria of LEED for Homes, ENERGY STAR, MASCO Environments for Living, and the NAHB's Green Building certifications.